Non-uniform programmable photonic waveguide meshes

Non-uniform programmable photonic waveguide meshes | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Non-uniform programmable photonic waveguide meshes Cristina Catalá-Lahoz, Jose Capmany This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6107331/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Programmable integrated photonics has emerged as a powerful platform for implementing diverse optical functions on a single chip through software-driven reconfiguration. At the core of these processors, photonic waveguide meshes enable flexible light routing and manipulation. However, recirculating waveguide meshes are fundamentally limited by the fixed dimensions of their unit cells, constraining their spectral and temporal resolution. These limitations hinder broadband signal processing and high-precision delay-line applications. Here, we introduce the concept of non-uniform programmable waveguide meshes by incorporating defect cells into an otherwise uniform hexagonal architecture. These defect cells preserve an external hexagonal perimeter for seamless integration while embedding smaller internal subcells that modify the spectral response via the Vernier effect. By coupling cells with different optical path lengths, we achieve a free spectral range multiplication of up to tenfold, reaching 133 GHz—surpassing the capabilities of conventional silicon ring resonators. Additionally, we demonstrate a dramatic reduction in sampling times from 75 ps to 7.5 ps, enabling ultra-fast optical signal processing and high-precision delay tuning. This approach unlocks new degrees of freedom in programmable photonic circuits, offering enhanced spectral and temporal tunability. Beyond broadband signal processing, it paves the way for advanced applications in topological photonics, quantum information processing, and high-speed optical computing. Physical sciences/Optics and photonics/Applied optics/Integrated optics Physical sciences/Optics and photonics/Applied optics/Microwave photonics Programmable photonics Non-uniform mesh Vernier effect Silicon photonics Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files Supplementarynumbered.pdf Supplementary notes Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6107331","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":431765114,"identity":"98a841fb-d87f-4588-bcf3-98f9c5e8a6c5","order_by":0,"name":"Cristina Catalá-Lahoz","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA40lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNCCAgY5NlLUMzYwGDAYs5GiB6wlsYFoLfzth58/+GFgl94n33zw0w2Gw3kGB5gPf8CnReJMmmFjj0FybhsbW7J0DsPhYoMDbGkS+LQYSDAYNvAYMAO18BiAtCTObOAxw+swAwn2j41/DOrT2dj4P/+GaOH/jNdhBhI8hs08BocT2Nh42MC29DPwMOB1mMSZnMLZMgbHDdvY0syscwzSi/mZ2czwauFvP77h45uKann55sOPb+dUWOexsTc/xuswdHcyJDAwk6AeDBJI1TAKRsEoGAXDHwAAt2Q/+Dm0sLkAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9425-9077","institution":"Universitat Politècnica de València","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Cristina","middleName":"","lastName":"Catalá-Lahoz","suffix":""},{"id":431765115,"identity":"a919291d-4ce0-4cb0-87e0-cefcc62b9189","order_by":1,"name":"Jose Capmany","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6460-4167","institution":"Universitat Politecnica de Valencia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jose","middleName":"","lastName":"Capmany","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-02-25 17:35:56","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6107331/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6107331/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":79145528,"identity":"b49858e6-1bda-4da2-a2c7-1ff4bf12a6be","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-03-25 02:59:24","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2656347,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Article File","description":"","filename":"Articlenumbered.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6107331/v1_covered_c253a03a-fcc1-417b-b2dc-b2f042088f73.pdf"},{"id":79144926,"identity":"5abcf4ba-f422-40c6-a871-2a0db712cb87","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-03-25 02:51:22","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":3996327,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Supplementary notes","description":"","filename":"Supplementarynumbered.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6107331/v1/aa26d142c94d0453035d958c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Non-uniform programmable photonic waveguide meshes","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Programmable photonics, Non-uniform mesh, Vernier effect, Silicon photonics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6107331/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6107331/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Programmable integrated photonics has emerged as a powerful platform for implementing diverse optical functions on a single chip through software-driven reconfiguration. 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